Cutter chain



Jan. 8, 1952 SIMMONS 2,581,723

CUTTER CHAIN Filed Dec. 21, 1946 15206772707: ZeonE'. 367127720726;

Patented Jan. 8, 1 952 CUTTER CHAIN ,Lcon: E. Simmons, :Claremont, N. 1-1., assignor to Joy :Manumctllring Company, 1a corporation .of

Pennsylvania Application'December 21, 1946, "Serial.No.'717;696

2Claims.

.1 This invention relates to .cutter .chains and more particularly toan improved r-igidubit :stop

for acutter bit carrying chain-especially designed for use inthe cutting .of :coal .or the .like.

An .obi ect. of the present. invention is to .provide an improved 'ecutter chain. Another obiect isto provide an improved cutter, chain having .an .improvedqrigidqbit stop .for thecutter :bit. on a chain-block. .Yet another object is to provide an improved bit, stop mounted; in an improved manner, on a chain block at the inner end ,of the. bitreceiving. socketof the blockfor limiting the .inward movement of a cutter bit inthe block socket. A further object is to provide an improved bit stop positioned and supported in the .side apertures of a conventional chainblocktransversely of the .blockat the innerend of the bit-receiving socket. A still further object is to providean improved rigid bit stop positioned and supported in the above. manner ,on thevblock and having .a cutaway. portion at itslower edge to provide clearance for a tooth of-achain drive sprocket. Still another object is to provide an improved .bit stop plate welded in rigid position in the side apertures of a chain block and arranged edgwise at the inner end of the bit-receiving socket so that the shankof the bit rests thereon when the bit is in cutting position on the block. A still furtherobject is to provide-an improved bit-stop plate arranged and secured 'in the side apertures of a conventional chain blockin such manner that the ejection o-icuttings or dirtirom within the block laterally throughthe sideapertures is substantially unhindered. Yetanother object is to provide an improved bit stop-.of a simple and rugged construction and which may be readily applied to a conventional chain block without change. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawing there is shown for purposes of illustration one form which the invention may assume in practice.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in central longitudinal vertical section through a chain block with which an illustrative form of the bit stop is associated, and showing a portion of the chain drive sprocket.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with the chain sprocket omitted.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on lines 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the improved bit st p.

2 In this illustrative embodiment of the invention, the improved bit stop, generally designated 1, is shown associated with 'a cutter bit-carrying chain, generally designated 2, of a conventional design. The cutter chain includes a chain block '3 pivotally connected :at 4 to strap links 5. The chain block has a lateral lug 6 provided with a socket i for-the reception otacutter bit-8. -This cutter "-bit is of theeonventional-single pointed, shanked type-andhas a cutting portion '9 and an integralshank til, the-latter being received in the socket i of the bloc-king. The chain block has parallel side portions H I-l at its base provided with lateral g-ibs --I 2 adapted 'for the reception in theguideway of a conventional cutter bar. The strap links'i project inwardly between the side portionsi'l of the block-base and have curved-end surfaces 13 spaced apart to'provide-a space 14 within the block-base into which a tooth ii of a chain drive sprocket I6 (Fig. 1) isad-apted toenterso that the sprocket toot-h may engage the curved end surfaces of- 'the links to drive the cutterchain in a well known manner. The block lug 6 has a threaded'opening- H in-which a usual set screw 1 8 isthreaded-and this setscrew, when tightened, engages the bit shank firmly to -hold the cutter bit in cutting position on the block. The side portions i [of the block-base are apertured or circularly bored at 9, and these-apertures communicate with i the tooth space it to permit-eiecti-onof dirt orcuttings from the tooth space. The'block socket 'l at its inner end enters the tooth-receiving space -I4 between the link- -ends and if nostop for'the cutter bit were provided, the bit shank would be free to drop down into the tooth-receiving space so as to interfere with proper engagement of the sprocket'tooth with the links, and thereby presenting a possibility of damage to the chain and sprocket.

In this improved construction, the improved bit stop I is positioned and supported within the chain-block-base at the inner end of the bitreceiving socket 1 so that a cutter bit inserted in the block socket may have its shank rest on the bit stop in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The 'bit stop is herein preferably in the form of a relatively narrow rectangular plate 20 having its lower edge cut away at 2| centrally between the ends of the plate to provide clearance for the sprocket tooth within the tooth-receiving space M and having an upper bridge portion 22 traversing the block. The ends of this rectangular plate are herein positioned vertically within the circular bores forming the side apertures I9 of the block, as shown in Fig. 1, and the plate is secured therein at diametrically opposite points as by welding. Due to the narrow cross section of the stop plate, the openings at the sides of the plate are free so that discharge of dirt or cuttings from the tooth-receiving space l4 laterally through the side apertures 19 is substantially unhindered.

It is accordingly evident that the bit shank [0, when it is inserted in the block socket 1, may move inwardly until its inner end engages the upper bridge portion 22 of the rigid stop plate. By limiting the inward movement of the bit shank within the block socket, undesired entry of the bit shank into the sprocket tooth-receiving space [4 is prevented, and also the gauge of the cutting point of the bit with respect to the block may be predetermined. By positioning the stop plate in the side apertures I!) of the block base vertically beneath the bit-receiving socket of the block, an extremely rigid construction is attained. The cut-away portion 2| of the plate permits a sprocket tooth to enter the space [4 between the adjacent ends of the strap links without interference, and the relatively narrow construction of the stop plate permits free discharge of dirt or cuttings from the tooth space laterally through the side apertures of the block.

As a result of this invention, an improved cutter chain is provided, having an improved bit stop structure associated with the chain block, which is of a simple and rugged design, and which may be readily applied to a conventional cutter chain without modification. Since the stop plate is welded in position in the side apertures of the block and is arranged vertically beneath the bitreceiving socket of the block lug, an extremely rugged construction is attained while, at the same time, any interference with the tooth of the chain drive sprocket is eliminated. Due to the novel design of the rigid bit stop, free flow of dirt or cuttings from the tooth-receiving space laterally from the block remains unhindered, and the stop, by its improved arrangement vertically beneath the bit-receiving socket, has relatively great strength. The stop plate may be readily driven out of the block apertures and renewed when necessary. Other advantages of the invention will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without de- L parting from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a cutter chain, a chain block having a bit-receiving socket and a base having parallel side portions forming a space within the block base with which the inner end of said socket communicates, said space adapted to receive the tooth of a drive sprocket for the chain, said base side portion having aligned side apertures opening laterally from said space through the outer sides of the block base for the discharge of dirt laterally from said space, said apertures both out by a plane transverse to the block and including the axis of the bit-receiving socket, and a narrow bit stop member extending transversely across said block in said space inwardly of said socket and secured at its ends to said base side portions with the ends of said stop member positioned and supported at its upper and lower surfaces in said side apertures, said upper and lower surfaces of the ends of said stop member being rigidly secured to the aperture walls, said stop member being of substantially less thickness than the longitudinal cross sectional dimension of said socket to provide spaces at the opposite sides of said stop member for the discharge of dirt inwardly from said socket into said space, and any dirt in said space discharging laterally through said apertures through the spaces at opposite sides of said stop member, said stop member having its upper surface at the bottom of said socket to provide a stop to limit inward movement of a cutter bit in said block socket, and said stop member being recessed at its bottom to provide clearance for a sprocket tooth in said space, and said stop member at the end walls of said recess extending inwardly along the sides of a sprocket tooth received in its recess.

2. A cutter chain block as set forth in claim 1 wherein said side apertures are circular and said bit stop member is in the form of a plate and has its upper and lower edges supported in said apertures and rigidly secured to the aperture walls at diametrically opposite points.

LEON E. SIMMONS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,046,024 Lee June 30, 1936 2,164,091 Slomer June 27, 1939 2,393,001 Simmons Jan. 15, 1946 

